24th January 2018

27 Super Shopping Experiences in the Cotswolds

We are so lucky to have a vast array of wonderful shops in the Cotswolds, many independently run and all full of the most fabulous things, clothes, food items, trinkets and homewares that we just love. Whether you’re looking for delicious, locally grown produce, a special memento of your visit or even a gift for someone, you really will be spoilt for choice.

We’ve created this list of our 27 favourite shops (yes, we have that many favourites) for you to check out on your way around the Cotswolds.

Chipping Campden has got to have one of the most sublime high streets in the whole of the Cotswolds. And on it you’ll find this delightful store packed full of super gifts and homewares. Not only that but they offer a bespoke design service, source goods from local suppliers and support a local charity both through donations and the selling of bespoke items designed specifically for the purpose. Retail with a heart!

No visit to the Cotswolds is complete without a visit to the town of Stow-on-the-Wold. Tucked away in the recently refurbished Unicorn Hotel you’ll find Cotswold Co’s flagship store. Beautifully crafted, classic furniture with wallet-friendly prices is displayed to stunning effect within each room taking you from shabby chic to leather sofas. There’s also a fabulous range of accessories and a great selection of Farrow and Ball paints. Well-behaved dogs are welcome too!

‘Eat me, don’t keep me’ is the mantra of the Cotswold Chocolate Company and you won’t need to be told twice! Natural ingredients alone go into the making of the amazing chocolates on offer here. There are so many things to tickle the taste buds whether it’s handcrafted chocolates or novelty designs for the kids. It’s just not possible to leave empty-handed!

The latest incarnation of a business which goes back 200 years, Jesse’ Farm Shop is a one-stop shop for quality local produce. You won’t be anything other than impressed at the sheer variety on offer here once you set foot inside. There’s a traditional butchery, a well-stocked deli counter, plenty of fresh fruit and veg as well as artisan bread, preserves and pickles. An added bonus is the on-site coffee house producing delicious food – all the ingredients can be bought in store if you’re feeling inspired.

With a name conjuring up nostalgia for school days, this delightfully eclectic store certainly isn’t old-fashioned. Set in an old textile mill, the ambiance is relaxed and laid-back as you wander around the different rooms and take in the fantastic choice of homewares, gifts, cards, clothing, toiletries and candles. What’s more you’ll find a great in-house café to enjoy a coffee in (with cake of course!). There’s also a second store in Tetbury.

If you’re looking to take home something crafted locally from your stay in the Cotswolds, then look no further than Cotswold Pottery. Located in the renowned Cotswold village of Bourton-on-the-Water, the shop showcases the impressive work of its owners. From individual pots to kitchenware and sculpture, each piece is completely unique and will make a great addition to your home.

Fine quality foods are the order of the day at Hamptons if you are looking to stock up on some delicious treats during your Cotswold stay. Mentioned in Rick Stein’s ‘Guide to the Food Heroes of Great Britain’, you’ll find a mouth-watering array of products, some of which are home-made on the premises. Their hampers make a great gift too.

Set in an elegant 18th century town house in the heart of Tetbury, Brownrigg@Home is an absolute treasure trove when it comes to antiques. Packed full of European furniture, furnishings and other decorative items, you’ll find inspiration without effort in the fascinating mix of old with new. The range is kept fresh as there are new pieces arriving every week – always a unique experience!

Octavia’s is a charming independent bookshop found in historic Black Jack Street in the heart of Cirencester. Make sure you take the kids as over half the premises is devoted to them, with everything from board books for those still in their buggies to young adult fiction. Adults are not neglected though as you’ll find plenty of fiction and some beautiful reference books. A warm welcome is guaranteed!

A Cotswold institution, no visit to the area is complete without dropping in to Scotts of Stow. In its four stores set around the town’s Market Square you’ll find a fantastic range of products, coupled with great customer service. Expanding from its early days when its focus was on kitchenware, it now offers its customers all sorts of goods related to lifestyle and home, both practical and decorative. Simply think of something you might need and you’ll find the solution here.

Lorford’s Antiques in the heart of Tetbury hosts an impressive collection of antiques alongside its own custom-made range of sofas, armchairs and lighting, simply called ‘Created’. Showcasing great craftsmanship, all the pieces are made on the premises. You’ll find a fabric showroom and art exhibitions too so it’s easy to while away a couple of hours here. Also worth a visit is ‘The Hangars’, close to Tetbury, which takes the prize for most unique location in the Cotswolds – a pair of World War II aircraft hangars – filled with decorative antiques supplied by 48 individual dealers.

Sustainability is at the heart of everything at Daylesford which very quickly became an essential stop-off on any Cotswold-based itinerary. Not only can you buy the freshest of foods from the shop, all grown on its own farmland wherever possible, but you can taste them in the fabulous café too. There’s also a great range of lifestyle products including homeware, clothing and a garden range. Should you wish to ease your cares away, then the Haybarn Spa is a great option for relaxation and wellbeing.

After a period of renovation to upgrade and expand the building from its previous use as an Ironmongers, Cotswold Grey opened its doors in 2015 and what a transformation it was – a dramatic, contemporary retail space but still retaining a wonderful sense of history. Plenty of uniquely crafted furniture and some really stunning accessories will add a sense of individuality to any home.

If you happen to be staying close to Chedworth, then don’t miss a visit to its Farm Shop. You can buy the best Aberdeen Angus beef here, reared on the farm itself – you can’t get a better provenance! If you’re after quality ingredients to cook something utterly delicious then you can find everything you need. From essentials such as bread and milk to something more lavish, all bases are covered. If you prefer to be fed than cook yourself, then there’s even café/restaurant including bottomless breakfasts, fish and chip Fridays and homemade pizzas. What’s not to like!

Following the success of its store in Chipping Norton, Mash now has a second branch in Stow-on-the-Wold. Both er wonderful and both are crammed full of fabulous gifts and accessories source both from the UK and abroad, the range is so eclectic it’s possible to find something to suit any taste or pocket. Before you know it, you’ll have spent a good half hour taking everything in. Particularly good for that elusive gift for any man in your life – or indeed if you are a man and searching for something different!

Located just to the west of Stratford, Bonds is well worth taking a detour for. Open 7 days a week and with free parking, you’ll have the choice of over 40 individual antique concessions to browse through. There are also plenty of contemporary gifts and home accessories alongside a range of sofas and tables, lovingly made in the UK. And when you’ve finished shopping there’s a homely yet vibrant café to enjoy a light lunch or slice of cake – yum!

Close to the Cotswold town of Tetbury, Highgrove is the private residence of Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall so shopping here definitely has the royal stamp of approval. What is more, all profits go to the Prince’s Charitable Foundation so you can shop with a good conscience. You’ll find products here that you’ll not find anywhere else, from traditionally crafted pieces to organic food and drink. A very special and unique place to shop in the Cotswolds.

A trip to the Burford Garden Company is a day out in itself. Yes, there are the traditional goods you’d expect to find in a garden centre such as gardening accessories, garden furniture and a vast array of plants but there is so much more besides. From an original piece of art (it has its own gallery) to some local produce from its food emporium to a quirky child’s toy, there is no chance that you will leave empty-handed. And there’s a great restaurant too in a former glasshouse where all the food is prepared from scratch.

If you’re looking for something you’ll not find anywhere else then the Cotswold Baobab Tree in Stow is the place for you. It’s bound to raise a smile with its quirky sense of style. Stock is regularly updated so you’ll not find the same thing twice and everything has been lovingly crafted by experienced jewellers and craftspeople from home and abroad, although those are the start of their careers are supported too. A truly unique experience!

Offering a great blend of vintage and contemporary fashion, Qetty Bang Bang sets out to be different from the crowd. If you find you struggle to get hold of the clothes you want on the high street, then this fashion boutique is for you. Alongside its great selection of smart casual clothing, dresses for special occasions and one-off pieces of jewellery, there is also a range of menswear as well as bits and pieces for your home.

A gift shop for the whole family in picturesque Winchcombe, Emporium is stylish yet welcoming. Beautifully laid out, the shelves are bursting with lovely things – from greetings cards to hand lotion, from notebooks to scented candles. Bring the kids too as there’s a whole area dedicated to them called Mini Emporium where you’ll find pocket money toys from the princely sum of 50p. They can even watch a film while you spend a precious few minutes browsing.

Stocking goods from both well-known names and independent designers, Cotswold Trading sits in an enviable position on the High Street in beautiful Broadway. There’s a magnificent selection of accessories for your home including clocks, cushions and lighting as well as ranges of accessories for both men and women. If you need to stock up on premium beauty and grooming products, then you’ll find those here too. Your four-legged friends have not been left out either with dog bowls, beds and even doggy shampoo available to buy.

Originally located in Stroud and now based in Ashchurch, near Tewkesbury, the Malthouse Emporium describes itself as, ‘Gloucestershire’s most modern emporium’. It brings together over 70 traders under a single roof and is a shopper’s paradise full of antiques, collectibles, vintage pieces and home accessories to name but a few areas covered. A newly renovated tea room with an art deco theme is due to re-open at the end of January. Should be well worth a visit!

Fabulous independent shoe shop, where you’re positively encouraged to try before you buy – and at a very reasonable cost. Not only will you find a great and ever-growing range of boots and shoes for women and men but there are some stunning bags and other accessories available. You’ll find a second store in Stratford-upon-Avon.

Lovely, family-run business on the High Street in Chipping Norton, Wild at Heart is definitely worth a trip if you’re looking for stylish, contemporary jewellery. Alongside a great range of gorgeous earrings, necklaces and bracelets you’ll find scarves, cufflinks, bags and other accessories. There really is something to suit every budget. A further store is located in Broadway.

Lucky enough to be situated in four of the loveliest towns in our region – Bath, Malmesbury, Tetbury and Cirencester- French Grey really has gone from strength to strength over recent years. If you’re staying in the Cotswolds you’ll not be far from one of their shops. Everything from wedding gifts to ideas for the home can be found here – and much more besides. You’ll love the warm and welcoming service you receive when you visit.

Made stands for ‘Makers and Designers Emporium’ and you’ll not be disappointed by all the cleverly and beautifully designed products in evidence here. The window displays alone should be enough to draw you in and encourage you to browse. Funky bags, quirky toiletries and fascinating books catch the eye alongside vibrant prints which would brighten up any wall. A real delight!